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#29: Grave Tending: The Side Hustle You've Probably Never Considered

Have you ever heard of a grave tender?

Until 2017, I hadn't either. Today, gravesite beautification is still one of the primary services I offer through Serene & Green—and it's work I find incredibly meaningful.

Grave tenders are essentially cemetery visitors for hire. We visit gravesites on behalf of people who can't—or simply prefer not to—do the work themselves.

That might mean tidying and weeding, planting flowers, delivering a wreath on a holiday, safely cleaning a headstone, or simply showing up on a meaningful date and sending a photo afterward.

And I've come to realize that what my clients are really paying for isn't the flowers or the weeding.

They're paying for the peace of mind that comes from knowing someone showed up.

In this episode of The Blooming Solopreneur, I'm taking you behind the scenes of this unusual little corner of the service-business world.

We'll talk about:

  • What grave tending actually involves
  • Why families hire grave tenders
  • Why cemeteries don't necessarily provide these services themselves
  • Four reasons grave tending can work particularly well as a side hustle
  • Why you don't need hundreds of customers to build a sustainable business
  • The personality traits that matter more than gardening expertise
  • Who may—and may not—be well suited to this work

I'll also share a few examples from my own clients that illustrate why this work means so much more than simply maintaining a piece of ground.

Could grave tending be a fit for you?

I've created a free Grave Care Business Fit Check to help you think through whether this kind of work fits your interests, temperament and current season of life.

Visit betsyblockblooms.com/fitcheck to get your copy.

Want to take the next step?

Enrollment for the Fall 2026 cohort of Peaceful Profit: How to Start and Build a Sustainable Grave Care Business opens September 29.

This four-week online course covers the things I wish I'd known when I started Serene & Green in 2018—including how to set up your business, create and price your services, find your first clients, and build a grave care business that's sustainable for you.

The Fall cohort begins October 12 and includes two live Zoom Q&A sessions.

Join the waitlist for early-bird pricing at betsyblockblooms.com/waitlist.

And if grave tending isn't for you—but someone popped into your mind while listening—I'd love for you to share this episode with them.

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 LINKS + MENTIONS:

🌟 Freebie: Grave Care Business Fit Check
https://www.betsyblockblooms.com/fitcheck

🌟 Join the waitlist
Peaceful Profit: How to Start and Build a Sustainable Grave Care Business
https://www.betsyblockblooms.com/waitlist

📩 Connect with Betsy
[email protected]

💻 Website
https://www.betsyblockblooms.com/

👉 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/betsyblockblooms/